Between The Lines
by PierrotToTheShadows
Summary: Sasuke life has changed. But how? And what is this feeling inside of him that wants to burst out? Is it for him? The one who he can't get out of his head? But those thoughts are forbidden, at least, that's what Sasuke thinks. SasuNaru
1. Prologue

At first, I didn't know what to feel.

Happy, sad. Confused, surprised. Angry, excited. What was this… emotion I was feeling?

There's this warm, softness deep within my chest, thrusting its way out of my usually cold, un-breakable persona. I'd never felt this way before, that was for sure.

_Back __then, __I __was __a __fool._

Everyone was staring.

The boys: marvelling with shock and more than a little unease. The girls: gawking as though their eyes were raging flames of anger and utter disappointment.

_Why __hadn__'__t __I __realised __it __back __then? __Why?  
><em>

How long was this going to last? Though I suspected a bubble had warped around me, slowing the continuous stream of time in reality.

It was strange. On the surface, I wanted it to end as soon as it begun. I mean, I don't care much about popularity or status but it wasn't exactly surprising that I was a little embarrassed.

However, there was another side to it. Deep down, I wanted this never to end. Spend an eternity here in something most people would call heaven. Bliss.

_It __was __hidden i__n __plain __sight. __How __could __I __of __let __my __guard __down?_

I opened my eyes just as he opened his, his soft, sweet lips still linked with mine. I must have been imagining things but I was sure for one split second, I saw happiness in those piercing eyes. I decided then and there to treasure that moment forever.

I was right for as soon as I had seen it, it had clouded over with a mask of unmistakable horror.

_If __only __I __had __read __the __signs._

He pulled away. I thought I was going to cry.

_It __was __obvious._

As he spat, clutching overdramatically at his neck with his hands, my world crushed down on me like a heavy weight.

_I __had __read __about __this __feeling __before __but __never __had __I __felt __it __myself._

The room had gone deadly silent. I suppose know one knew the right thing to say.

_The __feeling__… __it__… __it __was__…_

None of that mattered anymore. What had just happened was undoubtedly the best thing that had ever happened to me.

Yet, it was also my worst.

My mind was still behind though. Why did I feel this way? Why was I so sad when he broke it off? What is this that I feel towards him?

_Love__…_

__**If you comment, tell me if you think this is from Naruto's or Sasuke's point of view (:  
>-PierrotoftheShadow <strong>


	2. Chapter 1: Alone in the Rain

"Will you stop that?"

"Stop what?"

"Stalking me!"

The face I looked up to was mad yet somehow contained a glimmer of smugness.

Well, what would you expect from Naruto Uzumaki: the Ninja Academies biggest clown and prankster?

His eyes were wild, untamed like a lion or a… fox. His brows furrowed, hiding the rim of lightning blue. His lips pursed but slanted slightly upwards.

They were moist. And tender.

_I __could __just __kiss __them __there __and-_

"Hello?"

He waved a hand close to my distant expressionless face (something I had mastered after years of practise).

"Earth to Sasuke!"

_Pull __yourself __together! __Stop __thinking __of __things __that __are__… __wrong. __Off-limits.  
><em>

"Um… Sorry." My mind was blank.

_What __should __I __say? __What __should __I __say? _"… Did you say something?"

There was a pause for a second.

Even the autumn trees had stopped swaying as though they danced along to Naruto's melody.

His features furrowed. "So first you're stalking me and now you're ignoring me?"

_Quick, __Sasuke! __What__'__s __your __excuse? _But no matter how hard I tried, my mind became distracted by Naruto.

His gold tanned skin.

_I __could __just __crawl __under __it._

In fact, that's where I wanted to be right now – hiding away from my thoughts and feelings.

In pure solitude.

_And __also __so __I __can __be __closer __to-_

"I've got it!"

I switched back to reality to find a golden shining light beaming in a drizzly dark orchard.

"What is it?" I asked bemused, backed up with a sigh, a slow roll of the eyes ending with the arms folded across my chest or as it is more commonly called around the academy: Sasuke's 'Ultimate Jutsu'.

"I can't believe I didn't work it out sooner!" He laughed, completely ignoring my existence yet focusing on me at the same time. Something only Naruto knows how to do.

"Just tell me."

"You should know; you're the one who's doing it."

"Well I don't know, okay? Will you cut this out and just tell me!"

He smirked.

"Fine! You really want to know?"

I know he was playing with me, sending me down a mysterious maze and leading to me to dead ends.

It's one of the things I hate about him, making me feel out of control and vulnerable.

Out in the open.

"Yes! Now tell me!" I demanded, not caring how frustrated I must of sounded.

"You," he pointed at me.

"Are stalking me because," he was taking his time on purpose.

"You want to know all my awesome jutsu's and attacks so you can use them against me."

If there was a Ninja World Record for the biggest derp moment, this will be it.

A slight breeze pricked up as I laughed at Naruto's assumption.

He was so far from the truth, it was funny.

Though, is the truth any better? Would this scenario be the better, the less… painful of the two?

I had a choice behind the madness.

"Er… yes, that's the reason!"

Scratch the back of my head.

"I'd better go now, save me from the embarrassment."

As I turned around, I contemplated on why I actually followed him. However, no matter how deep I searched, no answer bubbled to the surface.

* * *

><p>It started after our last class that day and we all emerged into the breath-taking beauty of Konoha Village. Well, it would have been breath-taking and beautiful if it wasn't for the silent drizzle of countless raindrops. Though, there was still something about the place that held a sense of magic.<p>

I was about to head home when a certain blonde individual caught my attention.

I don't why I turned to look in his direction – I was well aware that it was Naruto but my body changed its course anyway.

We hadn't talked directly for about a week which was when… that happened.

When our lips had met accidentally.

When that feeling had started.

Maybe I felt bad and wanted to apologize to him. Maybe the sight of seeing him alone made me feel sympathetic.

Whatever the reason, it was strong enough to put one foot in front of another in his direction.

After a couple of minutes, I had caught up enough that I was about a foot behind him.

Being a trainee ninja, my stepping was silent, gracefully dancing along the stone ground.

It wasn't until we had reached a footpath surrounded by trees that he finally confronted me.

Coincidentally, this was the place I consolidated my thoughts and feelings, a magnificent scenery to daydream your hopes and fears in and where I had spent most of my free time this week.

* * *

><p>"Wait!" Naruto beckoned, putting a warm hand on my turned shoulder.<p>

I shivered at his touch.

His comforting skin placed delicately atop mine.

I pulled myself together enough to return facing him.

_But __I __wish __I __hadn__'__t._

I was welcomed with his rounded face, inches away from my own. His eyes, locked with mine, were the sweetest blue - the colour of a clear bright sky.

His nose, small but cute, one you would see on a small child.

His teeth, dazzling white.

His tongue moist.

His lips, smooth pale pink.

Before he could speak, I leaned in and kissed. It was a desperate, forceful one which took Naruto completely off his guard.

I didn't care. I couldn't keep it in any longer.

This want.

This need for… him.

Drops fell from the sky, light at first then rapidly faster.

Falling down on our locked lips, as though it was trying to break us apart.

He pushed away; I pulled him in.

But he stopped it.

For a second, we looked at each other.

He face was filled with horror. The rain trickled down his cheeks in place of silent tears.

He fled.

_I __don__'__t __blame __him. __What __I __did __was __stupid!  
><em>

_Pathetic!  
><em>

I was alone in the rain.

**Wow, long chapter! I'm happy with all the people who read the prologue and how many hits i got but i'm still hoping to get a review. I want to know what i can improve and what i've actually done well. I've been planning this fanfic for a while now, it's just putting it down in words. The next chapter may be very angsty but the chapter after that may have a mix of angst and fluff so i'm sorry if you don't like angst, there is fluff to come XD Also, i really don't like the name of it - i just don't think it suits what i'm aiming for so if you can come up with something better please review or PM me! Danke! ;3  
><strong> **- PierrotToTheShadows**


	3. Chapter 2: Tears Taste Salty

Three days past and not a word said. No apology, no explanation, no nothing.

On the first day, the usual happened: Sakura's usual attempts to attract my attention followed by a usually bizarre attempt by Ino resulting in a cat fight between the two.

As usual, I blanked them out but that led to me thinking which I did not want to do.

Thinking meant him.

He rejected me because I practically forced myself on him.

And for some reason, I feel as though a part of me is dying, dying an endless painful death.

On the second day, things started the same until Naruto walked in.

The day before he hadn't come in. Sickness, I think the excuse was but I knew it was more to do with something else.

Or rather someone else.

Then the minute he slid the door open, I couldn't take it.

I legged it past him, tears welling up in my eyes.

I could feel his eyes on me and it made me feel sick.

I wondered what expression he was pulling: an amused smug pout, a single teardrop or perhaps nothing at all.

I decided on the latter option.

_Why __would __he __care? __He__'__s __shown __twice __now __that __he__'__s __not __interested __so __why __would __he __shred __a __tear __or __fix __a __smile __for __me?  
><em>

On the last day of the three, I didn't bother turning up for classes. I didn't want a repeat of the day before and I definitely didn't want people asking questions.

After much thought, I'd decided to keep my head low for the next week.

I had guessed my unusual behaviour had become the number one gossip at the academy: sensei's and students alike.

Instead, I went to the footpath.

The weather was forecasted bright and sunny for the next week so I concluded it the best place to be. Nobody would know I was there and I would be well on my way home before the first hoard of students escaped their wooden desks.

And so I sat there, under a looming willow tree.

The wind gently blowing against my still body, relaxing me yet keeping me wide awake: the way I like it.

My own personal haven.

Hours past as I watched the natural world expand and change before my very eyes.

A nest of bird's sung to the sky as their mother pecked at the ground only a couple of metres away.

A baby squirrel watched me from a distance, unsure whether to be afraid or curious.

This didn't surprise me.

It was as though I was peering through to entirely different world from my own. A happier fortress which I yearned to belong too.

Instead, I found myself swathed in gloom.

I looked down at my hands.

Pale.

They almost looked dead.

Lifeless.

I twitched my fingers just to check I could still use them.

Suddenly, I felt a warm liquid drop slide onto the top of my lip.

I licked it off, silently cursing at myself.

_Not __again.  
><em>

It tasted salty.

_I'__ve __never __tasted __a __tear __before. __What __a __strange __thing __to __do!  
><em>

For a moment, I let the rest of the tears fall.

I was surprised at the amount; I thought I'd be cried-out by now.

But alas, I was not.

As I felt the last drop launch off the rim of my cheek, I delicately rubbed my eyes and stood up.

_This __wasn__'__t __right. __Why __must __I __suffer __this __pain?_

_It was unbearable._

I took my time trudging home, taking the alleys and back streets instead of the crowded roads.

It must have been obvious that I'd been crying.

And when I arrived at my quaint apartment I've called my home for years and went to the bathroom mirror, I proved my prediction right.

Red blotches surrounded my narrow black eyes.

I looked a mess.

Though, I had no care for looks. I had no time to side track myself with insecurities towards my features.

Nonetheless, I turned the tap clockwise and splashed my face with the cold, refreshing water.

Afterwards, I lay in bed, fully-clothed.

But sleep never took over.

**This chapter was purely to lengthen the story and express Sasuke's feelings more. I tried to make this angsty but the easiest way to do that was for self harm and i don't think Sasuke would do that: even when he's a wreck, his true goal always comes first (hint for next chapter)! Speaking of the next chapter, it should ****be out soon. Soon means in the next hour or day or so. Let's just say, i've wrote it.  
>-PierrotToTheShadows<br>(P.S. Review please! Even if you don't like it, all reviews help :)) **


	4. Chapter 3: Blood Poured

**Warning: This Chapter contains slight gore and a disturbing scene. The good news is, the story will make sense even if you don't read this bit so if you're not a big fan of death then ignore this chapter.**

It had been four days since I'd last gone to the academy and even Iruka-sensei had come over to check on me.

"Sorry," I mumbled to the tall chunin.

"I haven't been feeling okay."

I knew he could see through my mask but he made nothing of it and informed me that he expected me back in class by next week.

"And Sasuke," he added as he began his journey back.

"Don't lose yourself. Even if you want to, life goes on.

"Just forget about the past and focus on the future, alright?"

I nodded sheepishly, closing the door on the noisy outside.

I knew he was right.

I needed to get over this.

_I __have __a __goal __and __no __matter __what, __I __was __going __to __achieve __it._

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge just at the thought of him, at my knees, begging for forgiveness.

* * *

><p>"Please, Sasuke! I love you!"<p>

Just as I was about to end his sorry life, his features disappeared.

I stared in confusion as this faceless bulk moulded into someone else I was familiar with.

Naruto stared back at me; nose bloody, as my kunai knife uncontrollably met with his neck.

My arm, now with a mind of its own, traced his thin, vulnerable neck.

"NARUTO!"

_Cut._

"I can't do anything."

_Cut._

"I'm sorry!"

_Cut._

"I love you."

Blood poured from a lifeless body.

* * *

><p>As I slowly came back to reality, I legged it towards the bathroom and puked up in the sink.<p>

Sour.

Disgusting.

Revolting.

All of these came out of my mouth.

My pulse raced.

My breath, ragged but quick.

My heart, broken.

_What__'__s __wrong __with_ me?

**I originally had no plans to write this short chapter but it came to me suddenly and i thought it was a good way to show that Sasuke isn't really a cold-hearted person but actually is plagued and has hallucinations and doesn't know what love is OTL! Oh well, as it says at the top, the story will still make sense with out this so you don't have to read it! Please Review! Thanks for your time and i hope you enjoy... well, like... my techniques used... haha... ha :)  
><strong>_- _**PierrotToTheShadows**


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